March 14, 2012

Box Score

By Dan Ryan
B-CUAthletics.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - You simply cannot let a triple play go to waste. Bethune-Cookman started Wednesday's double header with the rarest and coolest of defensive plays and made the rest of the day as memorable with a 13-2,4-2 sweep of Providence at Sunnyland Park.

There was also a 12-run inning, timely hitting throughout the day and two solid Shanel Tolbert starts as the Wildcats (8-20) posted consecutive victories for the first time this season.

Back to the triple play.

Providence had runners at first and second when B-CU first baseman Karina Romero snagged Jessie Bryant's line drive, stepped on first for the force out on Michelle Huber and then threw to shortstop Aurelia Gamch at second for the force on Jen Abrams. That's an "L36" if you're scoring at home.

"It was awesome," Romero said. "It was fast. Everyone was where they were supposed to be so it was a team effort combined. I've never been involved in a triple play, so it's a good feeling."

B-CU coach Chris Cochran credited her freshmen first baseman for making the play.

"Karina has a lot of good instincts at first base," Cochran said. "She had the whereabouts to know where the runners were and to make the play."

Providence took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, but B-CU responded with a wild 12-run third that saw the Wildcats send 14 batters to the plate and score every way possible.

When the Wildcats weren't capitalizing on Friar miscues, they delivered big hits, including a two-run triple by Michelle Banuelos-Smith going yard for the sixth time this season.

"We didn't have very many bad at bats," Cochran said. "We had a lot of production from different people up and down the order. Michelle continues to do very well, but we had other people hit the ball."

After the run-rule victory, game two was more sedate but still solid for the Wildcats.

B-CU used a two-run Amari Foster single in the second as well as a two-out, two-run single by Banuelos-Smith to build a 4-0 lead.

Tolbert saw her shutout bid end with two outs in the fifth, but worked two scoreless inning to preserve the victory. She threw three-hitters in each game.

Romero finished the day 4-6.

B-CU hosts Alcorn State in the first of a two-game series Friday at 1 p.m.